Because persons making certain types of sensitive financial or legal transactions can be subject to duress and undue influence, it is important to ensure that such decision-makers are competent and acting of their own free will when communicating with others, such as financial advisors and lawyers. Typically, these sensitive transactions are consummated in the presence of the advisor during a face-to-face meeting, where the advisor can ensure an optimal environment for the decision-maker to provide instructions to his or her advisor and reduce or eliminate the threat of tainted judgment on the part of the decision-maker.
However, video conferencing has become more commonplace due to the proliferation of camera-equipped devices like smart phones and computers, and the ready availability of off-the-shelf video conferencing software. Many people prefer to communicate using such video conferencing techniques to save the time and expense of traveling for in-person meetings. In the context of a video conference, the scope of view and limited means for authentication can make it difficult for an advisor determine whether the decision-maker is subject to duress or unwillingly participating in a fraud during the video conference.